'Dry Boat Simulator' wins design award for student
by BBC Northwestwales/Sail-World on 17 Oct 2010
Bleddyn Mon pictured with his designs for the dry sailing simulator SW
An engineering student has won a design award for a 'dry land boat simulator' to teach beginners to learn to sail without getting wet.
'It's to teach children how to sail on dry land,' explained Welsh sailor Bleddyn Môn, who when he's not studying and trying out for the next Olympics, coaches for Anglesey's Red Wharf Bay Sailing Club at Traeth Bychan on the northern coastline of Wales each summer.
'They're usually taught on a boat on the beach, but nothing moves, so I designed a boat which acts like it does on the sea. When they're learning to run the boat, the boom will swing over, like it would on the water. It also simulates the effects of the wind.'
Bleddyn, an engineering student at Southampton, designed and built the dry land boat simulator as part of his design and technology A-level at Sir Thomas Jones School, Amlwch.
At a showcasing event organised by the Welsh Assembly Government and the WJEC exam board, he was awarded the Beckley and Magnox North Trophy by First Minister, Carwyn Jones, along with £500 which he'll be putting towards his sailing fund.
Bleddyn has taken out a patent on the design, and intends to develop his prototype further as part of his university studies.
Meanwhile, he's also a dedicated member of the British sailing squad with ambitions of competing in the Olympics.
'I'm currently in the training group, practising alongside the British squad in the 49ers class,' said Bleddyn, who chose to study at Southampton as it's close to the team's base in Weymouth.
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